Cemre Paksoy on 'Night Nurse' and Art of the Thriller
The Californer/10286580

LOS ANGELES - Californer -- Cemre Paksoy, known for her performances in As The Crow Flies and The Affair, set to star in the upcoming thriller, Night Nurse. Directed by Georgia Bernstein in her feature-film debut, Night Nurse promises to explore the intersections of desire and deception. Paksoy will play Eleni Sadik, an innocent nurse sucked into a scam that stiffs lonely old men looking for love. Paksoy shares her insights into how she's preparing for the complex role.

Paksoy's appearance in As the Crow Flies helped refine her talent for building suspense. "One of my favorite things about As The Crow Flies is that it takes all the characters to their absolute limits." Cemre continues, "The show delves deep into the darker sides of ambition, exploring what the desire to be recognized can draw out of a person. There's something fun about going to these extremes, which you don't always get to do as an actor."

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Paksoy's notable role, Gökçe in The Affair, deals with intense personal drama requiring her to explore the darker aspects of her character, who witnesses the decay of a family she cares for. "Being a bystander to a loved one's trauma is an incredibly helpless feeling. As unpleasant as that situation is, I found her journey relatable, and I had a lot to draw from in my personal life."

The techniques Paksoy developed in these projects are critical to building tension in Night Nurse. "Suspense requires focus. You can't afford to be distracted, because in a thriller, usually the situation is — or can feel like — life or death." Cemre continues, "It can be easy to lose your character when grandiose emotions are involved. I try to start every scene focusing on where the character is emotionally, and not what note I'm trying to hit as an actor."

Managing the emotional intensity for these roles can affect an actor. "Centering myself at the end of a day filled with tense and emotional scenes can be hard, but I'm lucky to have been on sets with supportive directors and crew members who consider the toll these scenes take. Georgia is one of those collaborators. She approaches every project with so much thought, care, and empathy."

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Though As the Crow Flies and The Affair are ripe with thrilling elements, Night Nurse will be Paksoy's deepest dive into the genre she's loved as a fan. "I've watched countless steamy 90's thrillers and body horrors, I'm hoping that work will help me get into the right headspace." Night Nurse is also Paksoy's first time acting in a project that deals with timely themes like fraud and the medical industrial complex. "I'm really excited to tackle something that's psychologically intense, thrilling and culturally relevant."

The producers of Night Nurse have slated production for October.